The
Virginia Commission on Youth, a bipartisan commission of the Virginia General
Assembly, is studying alternative education options available within the
Commonwealth.This study will
investigate and report on the availability of regional and local alternative
education programs that provide educational services for expelled and suspended
students who cannot be served in traditional public school settings.

The
studys purpose also includes identifying various challenges facing school
divisions in serving these students, and collecting information about
alternative education options available within the Commonwealth.In order to accomplish this goal, the
Commission on Youth is conducting a survey which focuses on alternative
education programs currently being operated during the 2006-07 school year.School divisions are being requested to
complete the survey.

The
Survey of Alternative Education Programs Relating to Suspended and Expelled
Youth may be accessed at http://coy.state.va.us.The Commission on Youth will be sending each
division superintendent an explanatory letter and a hard copy of the survey.If preferred, the hard copy of the survey may
be returned.Regardless of the method
selected, the survey should be returned by November 27, 2006, to Leah Hamaker, Legislative Policy Analyst, Virginia Commission on
Youth, Suite 517 B, General Assembly Building, Richmond, VA 23219-0406, fax
804-371-0574.

An
individual survey should be completed for each alternative education
program/school for suspended or expelled youth in the division.The school division that serves as fiscal
agent for the regional alternative education program should complete the
survey.

Questions
regarding the survey content should be directed to Leah Hamaker,
legislative policy analyst at 804-371-2481, lhamaker@leg.state.va.us.Other questions may be directed to CynthiaA.Cave,
director, office of student services at 804-225-2818, or by e-mail at Cynthia.Cave@doe.virginia.gov.